Weight of cars these days

[Mopar DLM]

I have been seeing this for a couple years now and again after the Dream a couple weeks ago. After the race they are 50 to 100 lbs over minimum. With a pound a lap burn off those guys were close to 200 pounds over at the end of the race. Am I missing something? Do the newer cars need to have the extra weight to work right or they just don't want to Bloomquist it and cut it too close. Sure seems counter productive to carry all the extra weight.

[Higgy9991]

With all the added safety equipment and the banning of exotic materials, its getting really hard to get a dirt late model with a average size driver down to minimum weight. Only so many things you can lighten and maintain durability, especially on tracks like Eldora that are putting a very high load on the cars constantly, not to forget how much worse it is when track has some "character"

[Jking24]

Big blocks weigh more

[billetbirdcage]

I have been seeing this for a couple years now and again after the Dream a couple weeks ago. After the race they are 50 to 100 lbs over minimum. With a pound a lap burn off those guys were close to 200 pounds over at the end of the race. Am I missing something? Do the newer cars need to have the extra weight to work right or they just don't want to Bloomquist it and cut it too close. Sure seems counter productive to carry all the extra weight.

Frames are roughly 50# heavier then they used to be 10/15 years ago due to extra tubing in them to make the cars stiffer. Then add in the following:

Fire systems = 10 to 15#
Mandated door plates = 18 to 22#
Full containment seats ???
Possible heavy suspension pieces = ???

Cars are for sure heavier, even with the 9# lithium batteries we run and some have the carbon fiber seats. Typically an xr1 with an all aluminum motor and a driver in the 200/220# range is not gonna be under 2400# at the start of a race with no lead on the car.

[Mopar DLM]

What size dry sump system are most people using these days? I'm still on a 4 stage 14 quart total system and figured most of the newer stuff was probably the bigger tanks and 6 stage pumps. Might be another place where I am lighter.

[billetbirdcage]

Most all use a 5 stage and larger tanks, ours completely dry and new takes 26 quarts

[ZERO25]

Anyone ever approach a manufacturer about building a lightweight car?

A good friend of mine always got Port City to build him a lighter car by using thinner wall tubing.

[MasterSbilt_Racer]

Anyone ever approach a manufacturer about building a lightweight car?

A good friend of mine always got Port City to build him a lighter car by using thinner wall tubing.

It used to happen all the time. And then, even the standard car was was more flexible than it is now.

[Mopar DLM]

Are guys moving weight around to suite different tracks or just changing smash numbers? My driver doesn't like to move lead. Just curious if others are the same way.

[billetbirdcage]

Are guys moving weight around to suite different tracks or just changing smash numbers? My driver doesn't like to move lead. Just curious if others are the same way.

There's no way to really know what everyone is doing, but I would say yes guys are still moving lead around. I would say mostly for large changes in speed of tracks, lead/COG is likely gonna be different for a small 1/4 mile vs a large high speed 1/2 mile or a slow flat track vs a high speed or banked track. I would say it's more COG then actual % changes